Stoicism vs. Materialism

[IBDaMann]

Science tells us that we cannot know that which we cannot know.

Science does not tell us this. This is a philosophical axiom.

So when Cypress makes the positive claim that orangutans are incapable of integral calculus either:

1. Cypress knows something no one on earth does (ie Cypress thinks he can read the minds of other animals)
OR
2. Cypress was incorrect in that no one knows what the mathematical capabilities are of any given non-human primate (or non-human animal of any sort) that we are unable to communicate with.

Great point. The notion of an IQ has long since been debunked because intelligence is not a numerical value on a linear scale. Intelligence has just as many parameters as does computer hardware. Just as different computer hardware configurations will be better at some tasks (and worse at others) than other hardware configurations, primates have evolved (Christians, bear with me) per those intelligence attributes that afford a statistical advantage, i.e. intelligence between primates is different, not higher or lower.

Humans have evolved an ego that makes them believe that they are omniscient (knowing what other humans think) and omnipotent (can control the weather and earth's average equilibrium temperature). Naturally, humans believe that their intelligence is "superior" in all aspects to that of all species that have ever existed. Personally, I believe that dolphins have a better underwater intelligence than humans do, but I'm not an expert in that area.

Now the kind of philosophy that Cypress prefers (Agnosticism) would lead one to assume that Cypress would likewise be agnostic about those things he can't possibly know.

This would require Cypress to be consistent. You are asking far too much. Cypress made a post asking many questions about the validity of evolutionary theory ... after having spent months mocking me for pointing out that the theory of evolution is not science.

But Cypress is NOT. Cypress is firmly positive that an animal whose mind he cannot possibly know is incapable of something.

He's one of those "omniscient" people. We should ask him at what age his IQ exceded 730.

This leads to a deeper question: why is Cypress "agnostic" about things like God etc, but NOT on things like the content of other minds which he can't possibly have a way of knowing?

How else can one delude oneself of one's omniscience except by first asserting the impossibility of knowing "any other gods but me!" ?

Once one assures oneself of omniscience, then one is certain he is omniscient and thus is certain he knows everything. What part of that confuses you?

This is incredibly incoherent and shows a significant lack of understanding of the topic by Cypress.

Are you accusing Cypress of not knowing about which he is writing? Are you claiming that he somehow only regurgitates material written by others?

He doesn't even understand the philosophy he supposedly espouses.

Same questions.

 

[goat]

Photons that reach our eyes or telescope lenses do not contain XML tags denoting their point of origin, i.e. The temporal reach back in time of any visage of the stars is unknown.


"We" have practically no idea what exists between earth and all that we can observe. Our knowledge of that which exists just within the sphere of abservabioity is essentially zero. People, such as Cypress, will assure you that their erroneous speculations are thettled thienth.

I got Dutch to flee this thread.

 

[IBDaMann]

I got Dutch to flee this thread.

That's a superpower. Can you get Cypress to post an original thought? Can you get Cypress to post his own position on something? If so, there just might be a slot for you with the Justice League.

 

[Commander Dutch]

I got Dutch to flee this thread.

That's a superpower. Can you get Cypress to post an original thought? Can you get Cypress to post his own position on something? If so, there just might be a slot for you with the Justice League.

Your fantasies are revealing too, Sybil. Do you dress up in tights and pretend you are a superhero before typing your one-handed love notes to CO/goat?

Did you know CO/goat has a master’s degree in psychology? That he actually worked in the field before his life derailed due to mental illness?

Cypress is a good guy; intelligent, stable and curious. The complete opposite of you two so I understand why you hate him. Or is it mainly jealousy? Do you hate anyone who had a normal life? Who can have normal relations with people instead of seeing them try to get away from you?

 

[goat]

That's a superpower. Can you get Cypress to post an original thought? Can you get Cypress to post his own position on something? If so, there just might be a slot for you with the Justice League.

For some strange reason I get along with Cypress. I like philosophy so I will show up on a Cypress thread. We usually disagree but that's what makes it interesting.

 

[IBDaMann]

[Cypress and I] usually disagree but that's what makes it interesting.

I hate to break it to you, but any disagreement you have is not with Cypress, but with the original author of the ideas that Cypress copy-pastes from the internet.

 

[goat]

I hate to break it to you, but any disagreement you have is not with Cypress, but with the original author of the ideas that Cypress copy-pastes from the internet.

I'm getting old and losing my memory. Cypress forces me to think about stuff I read 45 years ago. I get the names and dates wrong but I still remember how philosophy evolved over the millennia. I know very little about eastern philosophy so again, Cypress forces me to think.

 

[IBDaMann]

I'm getting old and losing my memory. Cypress forces me to think about stuff I read 45 years ago. I get the names and dates wrong but I still remember how philosophy evolved over the millennia. I know very little about eastern philosophy so again, Cypress forces me to think.

Then we'll give him credit for that. He's providing a service. I will make note of it.

Just think how much more value-added it would be if he were to start a thread stating his original position on something, and actually respond to criticisms. That would clearly force you to think all the more, and others as well. It's a shame that it never happens, ever.

 

[goat]

Then we'll give him credit for that. He's providing a service. I will make note of it.

Just think how much more value-added it would be if he were to start a thread stating his original position on something, and actually respond to criticisms. That would clearly force you to think all the more, and others as well. It's a shame that it never happens, ever.

Cypress will always sit on the fence. It's safer that way. I know I made him think when he won't respond to the evidence I dropped on him. A Cypress thread is a lot more fun than the political hacks we have on JPP.